by Alexis Davie
She couldn’t see his face clearly, but she was unable to look away.
Then he started to sing.
His voice filled the bar, and quickly swept Romi completely off her feet. Her legs felt numb, and she couldn’t even move. She simply stared at him, her thoughts running wild inside her head. Her heart pounded against her ribs, somewhat painfully, but she did not care or notice.
The only thing that mattered at that moment was his voice, and the way his presence made her feel. He kept his eyes mostly cast downwards, but as the song gained a bit of momentum, he raised his gaze and it fell immediately onto Romi, as if he had felt her eyes on him. His eyes were striking, boring into her soul, and she drew in a slow breath as her lips parted.
Of course Romi knew exactly who he was, but she had never thought he would have such an effect on her. She had always imagined that seeing the Dragon Prince would invoke a different set of feelings inside her.
For as long as she could remember, her father had told her about the Dragon King of Lunca and his four sons, and how evil and power-hungry they were, and still were to this day. They were merciless and the Dragon King had singlehandedly ensured the deaths of thousands of witches, including many in her family’s coven. They were not to be trusted, and Romi was advised that if she ever saw one of them, she should get as far away from them as possible. She had also known that one of the princes did, in fact, live in London, but she did not think she would ever run into him, or see him, for that matter. Her father’s words in her mind kept reminding her that they were dangerous and not to be trusted, but looking at him at that very moment and feeling the emotions rise up inside her, there was nothing threatening about him. He looked vulnerable behind that guitar, sad even, but there was something in his eyes that made Romi feel light-headed.
She exhaled through her mouth and realized she had been holding her breath for a while, hence the dizziness. Or maybe it was more than that.
Romi had heard many tales of how dragons mated for life with their True Mates, and it was a pretty big deal. It was also an occurrence which she did not think was possible after Rhaena the Wicked’s curse on the four princes. She also did not think it was possible for the dragons to find their True Mates in other species of Immortals. There was an incident where a dragon had found her True Mate in a human, but unfortunately, that did not last very long. Humans were fragile and so easy to kill, it was really rather laughable. Although all the Gifted Immortals had the ability to look like humans, witches were the closest to being human. They weren’t particularly strong of fierce, but it was their magic which made them feared and lethal, if need be, of course.
Romi knew that bonding with the Dragon Prince wasn’t such a good idea, regardless of whether she was able to stop it or not. She knew it had happened for him just as powerfully as it had for her, as the expression on his face resembled hers exactly. Both their worlds stopped, whirling out of control, yet perfectly in sync with one another.
She blinked and finally looked away as the lights dimmed and the bar erupted in applause. The crowd cheered and Romi could tell they loved him, and his performance. It was hard not to, as he had a beautiful singing voice, flawless guitar skills, as well as charisma which she had not seen anywhere. This was typical of a dragon, as the males in their family exhumed confidence and charm. They were all incredibly good-looking, which most people figured was because of their mother, the Dragon Queen. She was a timeless beauty, with teal eyes, long, silky blonde hair down to her waist, and perfect cheekbones. For thousands of years, she had been considered the most beautiful being in the world by Immortals, and many Immortals still claimed that to be true.
The four Dragon Princes did not look alike in the least, but it was said that you could see the queen’s features in each of them.
Or so Romi had heard.
Having seen the third-born prince, live and in the flesh, she wasn’t convinced that all those stories were true. Those stories and tales were as old as the mountains, and Romi never truly based her life and her knowledge on those tales. She liked to experience things personally, figure things out in her own mind, and decide things for herself.
Glancing back at the stage, she saw the prince was gone and she looked around the venue. She spotted him at the bar, drinking water from a bottle, and a small smile formed on her lips. His hair was messy and his T-shirt clung to his shoulders, hugging his muscular arms. He laughed at something the bartender said and Romi’s insides melted like an ice cream on a hot day. His smile and his laugh were perfect, but of course they would be. Her world now revolved around his, but she hoped that he recognized the same feelings in himself.
It did not seem like he did, according to Romi. He did not glance in her direction at all, but maybe he was just being nice to the group of people who now stood around him at the bar. She wasn’t going to approach him and introduce herself. Maybe she should. Would that not be a little pushy?
She pursed her lips and decided that even though she did not want to just leave, it would probably be the best option at that moment. She slid off the stool and made her way to the door.
As she walked past the bar, she noticed him looking directly at her, but she turned away before she could see him react. She took a few more steps when she heard his voice behind her.
“Hey, wait.”
She whirled around and came face to face with the Dragon Prince, his gray eyes sweeping her off her feet and turning her entire existence upside down.
“Hey,” she greeted him breathlessly.
“Do I know you?”
Romi let out a laugh. “I bet you say that to all the women in this bar.”
He scoffed and shook his head. “If only I had the confidence to do that.”
His remark surprised her as she realized he was not at all like she had been told.
“I’m Romi, in case you were wondering.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Romi. I’m Nyx.”
“I know who you are, but it’s nice to meet you, officially,” she answered with a smile.
“You’ve heard about me?”
“Everybody knows who you are. You have a beautiful voice, by the way,” Romi blurted out without even thinking. She was not always this forthcoming to people she did not know, but it was different with Nyx. Everything was different.
Nyx smiled modestly and lowered his head. “Thank you. I’ve never seen you here before.”
“This is my first time here, actually. It’s quite a place.”
“Yeah, it feels…”
“Like home,” they both said at the same time.
Romi’s cheeks flushed and she stepped away. “Exactly.”
Nyx cleared his throat and asked, “Can I buy you a drink or something?”
“Oh,” she cringed and shook her head. “I would really like that, but I have to go.”
“Oh, okay.”
He looked disappointed, and Romi had to fight every cell in her body not to grab him and kiss him, but she couldn’t. She did not know whether he’d want that, or if it would scare him off.
Was she afraid of being rejected, or was she just afraid, even if there was no threat?
She reluctantly turned away and made her way out of the bar, feeling her phone vibrating in her pocket. She recognized the tune the vibrations created and knew it was her father. He was probably freaking out because he did not know where she was, or he wanted to lecture her because she had stormed out of his house. Either way, there would be a lecture.
Romi took a taxi, and for the entire journey, she couldn’t get Nyx out of her mind. His voice still echoed through her thoughts and his presence still lingered in her soul. She knew she couldn't wear the dreamy expression on her face—which was reflected back to her from the taxi’s window—when she stepped into her father’s house. For a man, he was very perceptive and would know that something had happened. Romi definitely did not want to explain to her father that she was the True Mate of a Dragon Prince. She did not even want to imagine wha
t her father would do if he found this out.
Romi climbed out of the taxi, stepped onto the sidewalk, and made her way to her father’s home. The old house stood where it had been built over two hundred years ago. The necessary renovations had been done to prevent the house from falling apart, and it was preserved very well. In fact, it was beautiful. Her father was proud of the family home, despite people dubbing it ‘the Witch House’ because of its appearance. Little did they know they were actually right.
Romi opened the gate and stepped onto the flagstone path which led to the front porch. The lights glowed ominously in the dark, and she could hear her father’s voice from inside the house. She unlocked the door with her key and stepped inside, ready to be taken apart by her father.
He looked like a middle-aged man, with graying temples and a head of mousy brown hair, but he was almost three thousand years old. He had survived three of the seven Great Wars of the World, and it had definitely taken its toll on him, physically and mentally. He was eccentric, to say the least, but he was also stubborn and moody, not to mention suspicious and bitter. His eyebrows were pushed together, as per usual, and his eyes darted directly into Romi’s direction as he stopped pacing.
“Romiera Friar!” he exclaimed angrily and turned to her. “Where have you been?”
Romi rolled her eyes as she entered the living area, which looked like a bomb had gone off in there. Books and papers were scattered all over the room, on the floor, on the couches, on the tables.
“What the hell is going on here?” she asked with concern.
“While you were doing whatever it was you were doing, I received a call from Inges,” her father answered.
Inges was her father’s right-hand man of sorts. Technically, he was supposed to be Romi’s godfather, but he wasn’t very good at it. He was the person you could count on when shit hit the fan, as he was a powerful warlock who could control emotions and the weather. He was also her father’s informant on everything that went on in London and the surrounding areas when it came to the other Immortals. He knew everything about everyone, and he was the one who had the most information regarding the Dragon Princes, but Romi wondered whether he really knew as much as he let on.
Romi leaned against the doorframe and crossed her arms. “What did Inges say?”
“There are reports of bears in the Western countryside,” her father replied in an exasperated, raised voice.
Romi let out a laugh and shook her head. “Inges has finally lost his mind, or he’s been smoking those plants he grows in his greenhouse. That’s the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. There aren’t bears in the entire country.”
“Inges would not lie.”
“I’m not saying he’s lying, Dad. He could have just seen something that wasn’t quite the truth. People hallucinate all the time.”
“This isn’t the first incident of a bear sighting, Romiera,” her father pointed out sternly.
Romi’s shoulders tensed as she straightened her spine and slowly approached her father. “And why am I only hearing about this now?”
“Because I did not want you to worry.”
Romi rolled her eyes. “You’re constantly telling me to be safe and look around me, to be perceptive, but you don’t want me to worry about a bear sighting? Why?”
“We did not think that it was anything to worry about, but now they’re coming closer to the city.”
“What do they want?” she asked.
“We’re not sure, but I think it’s better that you move back home, just in case.”
Romi narrowed her eyes and sighed. “No.”
“It was not a request, Romiera.”
“Dad, listen to me. I’m not going to move back home so you can keep me here like a prisoner. I’m more than one thousand years old and I can take care of myself, whether you want to believe it or not, or whether you like it or not,” Romi said to him.
“Romi, I just want you to be safe, and know where you are,” he answered and paused. “Like tonight. I was worried after you stormed out of here.”
“Well, you made me so angry. What did you expect I was going to do? Stay? Stomp up to my old room and slam the door like a sullen teenager?”
“Maybe.”
“Dad, I’m not a kid anymore.”
“You’re still my kid.”
“And luckily I have more sense than most people you know. I’ll be fine.”
“Can you at least just stay here for the night?”
Romi nodded, knowing this was a fight she was not going to win. “Fine,” she surrendered. “Just tonight.”
As Romi walked up the wooden staircase which led to the next floor, she heard the familiar protection chants escaping her father’s lips in whispers which could only be heard by her. She did not dare to tell him about meeting Nyx, or what had happened between them. It may have been foolish to hold her tongue with her father, but at that moment, she did not wish to put Nyx in any danger by doing so.
Their bond was already stronger than hers and her father’s would ever be.
3
The sky was gray overhead as Nyx drove onto Oxford Street with his silver Mercedes, his fingers tapping absentmindedly on the curve of his steering wheel. Even though it was early in the afternoon, the sky already looked gloomy and dark, resembling his mood perfectly. It had been three nights since he had seen Romi, the beautiful redhead he had met in Echoes, and not knowing where she was frustrated him to no end. His thoughts constantly found their way back to her, no matter what he did or how hard he tried to distract himself from her.
Nyx was not going to deny the fact that something had stirred inside him when their eyes had met for the first time across the crowded bar, and he instantly knew he had found his True Mate.
Of course, he also did not forget the fact that she blew him off when he asked if he could buy her a drink. Maybe she had been on her way out, or maybe she had felt exactly what he had felt, and was not sure what had happened. Maybe the intensity of the emotions and their close proximity overwhelmed her and she did not know exactly how to handle it.
At least that was what he hoped.
Nyx feared that she took one look at him and was utterly repulsed, or worse, that she did not feel a single thing. He wasn't sure how he would handle that kind of rejection, as he had not dealt with it before. Women loved him, but only for a short while, because Nyx had a tendency to not be himself around people. He was who he needed to be around different people, and frankly, it was exhausting. He had always looked forward to the day when he would meet his True Mate, who would then love him no matter what. He’d have the freedom and the opportunity to be himself around her, but now he wondered whether that would be good enough for her.
He continued to drive around the streets of Central London, not going to any particular place or in any particular direction. He needed to think, to decide what this all meant.
Nyx had hoped she would have returned to Echoes again, to see him and have that drink he offered to buy her after all, but he found himself searching the sea of faces without finding her. He only knew her name, and did not know much else about her, so he wasn't sure where to look for her. Of course he knew he could sense her, but even if he wanted to, he couldn't just show up at her house, or her work. She looked like the type of woman who would pepper spray him in the face for being a creepy guy.
A small smile formed on his lips as he pictured her in his mind. Her beautiful, long, red hair which flowed down her narrow shoulders. Her bright blue eyes which mesmerized him from across the bar. Her porcelain skin which looked smooth to the touch. The dimple in her right cheek when she smiled. The way she smelled of vanilla and banana muffins which came straight out of the oven. The sound of her voice resonating inside his mind. Everything about her had called out to him, imprinted inside his mind, but yet he couldn’t track her down.
Immensely frustrated, he turned left at the traffic lights and changed direction. He rolled down the window and placed his arm on
the windowsill. A glint of red in the corner of his eye caught his attention and he turned his head to the left. He almost couldn’t believe it when he saw her light red hair in a side braid, flickering red rays of sunshine at him. She walked along the sidewalk, wearing a gray jacket, a pair of dark jeans, and black boots.
Nyx quickly found a spot to parked, pulled over, and climbed out of his car.
“Romi,” he called out to her and she immediately stopped and whirled around. Her eyes widened slightly, as if she hadn’t expected to see him, and she cocked her head at him.
Nyx ran toward her and smiled as he reached her, standing a few feet away. “Hey.”
“Nyx, what a surprise,” she greeted him and narrowed her eyes. “You weren’t following me, were you?”
“Of course not.”
“I was just kidding,” she smiled. “You don’t look the type.”
“That’s good to hear,” Nyx smiled at her. “So, how are you?”
“I’m good. I’ve just been a bit busy. How are you? Still rocking Echoes?” she asked.
“I’m good. I haven’t seen you at Echoes the past few nights,” Nyx subtly pried.
“Like I said, I’ve just been a bit busy.”
“I get it.”
“You get what? That you think I am just blowing you off?”
“I did not say that,” Nyx shrugged.
“I’ve wanted to see you again, but if you knew what was going on in my life, then you would understand. My father, he…” Her voice trailed off and she pouted slightly.
“He would not like you going to a place like Echoes,” Nyx finished her sentence.
Romi’s blue gaze met his and his senses electrified inside him, little currents of electricity bolting through his veins. “Exactly right. He would probably have a heart attack if he knew I met you.”
“Does he know of me too?” Nyx asked, certain that Romi and her father must know who he was, which also meant that they knew of his family, and its dreadful past.
“You can say that,” she cringed.
“I would really like to see you again, after today. Can I call you or something?”
